Chamber for Compressor and Compressor Using the Same

ABSTRACT

A chamber ( 10 ) for a compressor is disclosed in which at least one portion has a multi-layer structure ( 11 ) and plates having the multi-layer structure are tightly attached to thereby reduce noise and vibration by virtue of mutual frictional force. Vibration energy is transformed to thermal energy according to friction and transmitted externally through the chamber ( 10 ) during the operation of the compressor. Thus, noise and vibration generated during the operation of the compressor can be considerably reduced.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a compressor and, more particularly, toa chamber structure for a compressor that is capable of reducingvibration and noise generated during operation of the compressor.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, compressors convert mechanical energy into compressionenergy of compressible fluid. In particular, compressors adopted for arefrigeration system are roughly divided into a rotary compressor, areciprocating compressor, a scroll compressor, or the like.

FIG. 1 shows a chamber for the rotary compressor in accordance with aconventional art.

As shown in FIG. 1, in a general rotary compressor, as an electricmechanism unit 2 mounted in a chamber 1 operates, a rotor 3 and arotational shaft 4 are rotated, and at this time, as a compressionmechanism unit 5 operates, fluid is sucked into, compressed in anddischarged from the cylinder 6.

In other words, as a rolling piston 7 mounted at an eccentric portion 4a of the rotational shaft 4 is rotated along the inner circumferentialsurface of a cylinder 6, the fluid sucked into a compression space (V)through a suction opening 6 a is compressed and discharged through adischarge passage 6 b, and this operation is repeatedly performed.

The chamber 1 of the conventional rotary compressor includes a body 1 aformed in a cylindrical structure and having a suction pipe 8 forsucking a fluid penetratingly formed at one side thereof, an upper cap 1b coupled at an upper portion of the body 1 a and having a dischargepipe 9 for discharging the fluid, and a lower cap 1 c coupled at a lowerportion of the body 1 a and supported by a certain space.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 1 is constructed in ahermetic type structure having the electric mechanism unit 2 and thecompression mechanism unit 5 therein as the body 1 a, the upper cap 1 band the lower cap 1 b, each having a single layer structure, are fixedto each other through welding.

However, the compressors including the rotary compressor, thereciprocating compressor and the scroll compressor, or the like, havethe following problems.

That is, during its operation, pressure pulsation sound and frictionsound among mechanism units create vibration and noise, which areexternally discharged through the chamber 1 of the compressor. This is acritical factor increasing noise of an outdoor unit of anair-conditioner or a refrigerator.

In an effort to reduce the noise discharged externally of the chamber ofthe compressor, Japanese Patent Laid Open No. JP04-019373 proposes aconfiguration that a resin layer is inserted between two sheets ofchamber to block such noise discharged outwardly. But this configurationhas a difficulty in its fabrication because the overall thickness of thechamber is increased due to the two sheets of chamber spaced apart andan additional structure inserted into the two sheets, and the resinlayer insertion process is additionally performed.

In addition, the resin layer inserted between the two sheets of chamberto serve as sound absorption material is very expensive, resulting inincrease in chamber fabrication cost.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chamberfor a compressor that is capable of reducing externally dischargedvibration and noise generated during operation of the compressor throughfriction between chamber layers by making the chamber multi-layerstructure, and a compressor using the same.

To achieve these objects, there is provided a chamber for a compressorof which at least one portion has a multi-layer structure and plates inthe multi-layer structure are tightly attached to thereby reduce noiseand vibration by virtue of mutual frictional force.

To achieve these objects, there is also provided a chamber for acompressor including: an inner body and an outer body formed in acylindrical shape and tightly attached to each other to reduce noise andvibration generated from the inside through mutual friction; an uppercap coupled at an upper portion of the inner body; and a lower capcoupled at a lower portion of the inner body.

To achieve these objects, there is also provided a compressor including:a chamber having a cylindrical body, an upper cap coupled at an upperportion of the body and a lower cap coupled at a lower portion of thebody; an electric mechanism unit positioned inside the chamber andgenerating a rotational force; and a compression mechanism unit forcompressing and discharging fluid by the rotational force generated fromthe electric mechanism unit in the chamber, wherein the body of thechamber includes an inner body and an outer body which are tightlyattached to reduce noise and vibration generated in the chamber throughmutual friction.

To achieve these objects, there is also provided a compressor including:a chamber having a cylindrical body, an upper cap coupled at an upperportion of the body and a lower cap coupled at a lower portion of thebody; an electric mechanism unit positioned inside the chamber andgenerating a rotational force; and a compression mechanism unit forcompressing and discharging a fluid by the rotational force generatedfrom the electric mechanism unit in the chamber, wherein the body of thechamber includes an inner body and an outer body which are tightlyattached to reduce noise and vibration generated in the chamber throughtheir mutual friction, and the inner body is fixed to the upper cap andthe lower cap through welding.

The chamber for a compressor in accordance with the present inventionhas a tightly attached multi-layer structure at at least one portion ofthe chamber so that vibration energy transmitted outwardly through thechamber during operation of the compressor is converted into thermalenergy and diffused outwardly, and thus, noise and vibration areconsiderably reduced.

With a compressor having the chamber in accordance with the presentinvention, noise diffused outwardly can be minimized, so thatreliability of the product can be improved and more quiet and agreeableenvironment can be created.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a vertical-sectional view of a rotary compressor with achamber in accordance with a conventional art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the rotary compressor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing noise and vibration reductionprinciple of the compressor in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5A shows a hysteresis loop of force-strain in a chamber havingtwo-layer structure of different materials in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5B shows a hysteresis loop of force-strain in a chamber made of asingle material;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are sectional views showing modifications of the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a plan view and a sectional view of a body part in adouble-layer structure in accordance with the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a plan view and a sectional view of a body part in atriple-layer structure in accordance with a modification of the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are a plan view and a sectional view of a body part in aquadruple-layer structure in accordance with a modification of the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In explanations of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, amajor part of the chamber structure will be described for simplicitypurpose. In this respect, even though a substantial construction isillustrated, it is applied to all of a general rotary compressor, areciprocating compressor and a scroll compressor.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

The compressor with a chamber in accordance with the first embodiment ofthe present invention includes: a hermetic chamber 10, an electricmechanism unit 15 positioned inside the chamber 10 and generating arotational force; and a compression mechanism unit 17 for compressingand discharging fluid by rotational force generated from the electricmechanism unit 15 in the chamber 10.

The chamber includes a cylindrical body 11, an upper cap 12 coupled atan upper portion of the body 11, a lower cap 13 coupled at a lowerportion of the body 11, a support 18 and a damper 19 coupled at a lowerportion of the body 11 and supporting the chamber 10.

The body 11 has a double-layer structure, including an inner body 11 aand an outer body 11 b, so as to reduce noise and vibration generatedwhen the compressor is driven.

The inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 b are tightly attached eachother so that when noise and vibration are generated in and transmittedfrom the compressor, friction takes place between the first and thesecond bodies 11 a and 11 b due to difference in deformation between thebodies 11 a and 11 b by which the noise and vibration diffused outwardlyof the chamber 11 through the body 1 is reduced.

Referring to assembling of the inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 b,they can be press-fit to be coupled to each other in a manner that theouter body 11 b is fix at the outer side of the inner body 11 a so as tohave a tight contact structure.

Assembling of the inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 b is not limitedto the press-fit method, and the inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 bcan be attached by a general shrinkage coupling method or by using anattaching member. Otherwise, the two bodies 11 a and 11 b can be coupledat their outer and inner surfaces and then an inner diameter of theinner body 11 a can be extended by using tools such as a jig. In thismanner, the inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 b are tightly coupledto constitute the integrated chamber body 11.

In addition, the inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 b can be made ofdifferent materials, for which the two bodies 11 a and 11 b arepreferred to have different thermal expansion coefficient from eachother in order to create a friction energy by virtue of the mutuallydifferent deformation.

In such a case, preferably, the outer body 11 b is made of a materialhaving a higher thermal expansion coefficient or a modulus of strainthan that of the inner body 11 a. The reason is because the inner body11 a can be hardly deformed compared to the outer body 11 b due to itssmall curvature radius and a stress is concentrated to the inner body 11a.

The contact surfaces between the inner body 11 a and the outer body 11 bare preferably formed to be rugged surface so that sufficient frictionalforce can be formed between the both bodies 11 a and 11 b andtransformed to thermal energy when noise and vibration energy istransmitted from the inside of the chamber 11.

As for the chamber of the present invention, the upper cap 12 and thelower cap 13 are respectively fixed at the inner body 11 a throughwelding W1 and W2, and the support 18 is fixed at the outer body 11 bthrough welding W3. At this time, the outer body 11 b is formed shorterthan the inner body 11 a so that the outer body 11 b may not be weldedwhen the inner body 11 a, the upper cap 12 and the lower cap 13 arewelded.

The principle of reducing noise and vibration of the multi-layer chamberwill now be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a finite element of thedouble-structured chamber.

With reference to the hysteresis loop of FIG. 5A, in a state that alower plate 111 b and an upper plate 111 a are mutually coupled withstrong contact force and on the assumption that the lower plate 111 b isfixed, when force (Fg) as shown in FIG. 4 is applied to the upper plate111 a, the upper plate 111 a undergoes elastic deformation and then aplastic deformation. Thereafter, if the force stronger than the contactforce between the upper plate 111 a and the lower plate 111 b is appliedto the upper plate 111 a, coulomb friction occurs between the upperplate 111 a and the lower plate 111 b. Then, the upper plate 111 a makesa sliding motion on the lower plate 111 b to generate heat J.

At this time, sound and vibration absorption operations are performed bythe friction energy, that is, the thermal energy, generated between theupper plate 111 a and the lower plate 111 b, thus absorbing thevibration energy that may be diffused outwardly of the chamber.

FIG. 5B illustrates a hysteresis loop showing load change when tensilecompression is applied to general steel.

Various embodiments of the chamber structure with the above-describednoise and vibration reduction principle in accordance with the presentinvention will now be described.

FIG. 6A is a modification of the first embodiment of the presentinvention, in which an inner body 11 a′ and an outer body 11 b′ of thebody 11′ have the same length.

In addition, the inner body 11 a′ and the outer body 11 b′ havedifferent thickness (t1 and t2). In this respect, preferably, thethickness t2 of the outer body 11 b′ is thinner than the thickness t1 ofthe inner body 11 a′ so that a strain of the outer body 11 b′ can begreater than that of the inner body 11′.

FIG. 6B illustrates another modification of the first embodiment, inwhich the inner body 11 a′ and the outer body 11 b′ are formed to havethe same length and the lower portions of the inner body 11 a′ and theouter body 11 b′ are fixed together at the lower cap 13 through weldingW2′.

At this time, the upper portions of the inner body 11 a′ and the outerbody 11 b′ may be fixed by welding, but they are preferably not weldedin consideration of deformation of the inner body 11 a′ and the outerbody 11 b′.

Accordingly, at the upper end portion of the body 11′, the inner body 11a′ is welded W1 to the upper cap 12, and at the lower end portion of thebody 11′, the outer body 11 b′ is welded W2 to the lower cap 13. As amatter of course, the support 19 is fixed at the outer body 11′ bywelding W3.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a plan view and a sectional view showing thedouble-layer structure body parts, in which, the body 11 includes theinner body 11 a and the outer body 11 b which are tightly coupled toeach other.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a different modification of the first embodiment ofthe present invention, showing a body 21 including an inner body 22, anouter body 23 and a middle body 24 inserted between the inner body 22and the outer body 23.

The middle body 24 is tightly attached at both surfaces to the innerbody 22 and the outer body 23.

The inner body 22, the middle body 24 and the outer body 23 can be madeof different materials so that each thermal expansion coefficient can bedifferent from each other. In this case, preferably, the size of thethermal expansion coefficient may increase sequentially in order of theinner body 22, the middle body 24 and the outer body 23.

FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate a modification of the first embodiment of thepresent invention, showing a quadruple-layer structure body 31, in whichtwo middle bodies 34 and 35 are inserted between the inner body 32 andthe outer body 33.

Likewise in the first embodiment as described above, those bodies 32,33, 34 and 35 are tightly attached to each other.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

The chamber of the first embodiment shows a multi-layer structure body,while a chamber 40 of the second embodiment of the present inventionshows a construction that chamber 40 is entirely formed in a multi-layerstructure.

That is, the chamber 40 of the second embodiment includes inner chambers41 a, 42 a and 43 a and outer chambers 41 b, 42 b and 43 b, so thatnoise and vibration generated in the chamber 40 can be reduced throughmutual friction between the inner chambers 41 a, 42 a and 43 a and theouter chambers 41 b, 42 b and 43 b.

Accordingly, all of the body 41, the upper cap 42 and the lower cap 43of the chamber 40 have a double-layer structure.

In assembling of the inner chambers 41 a, 42 a and 43 a and the outerchambers 41 b, 42 b and 43 b, the body 41, the upper cap 42 and thelower cap 43 are fabricated in the double-layer structure and mutuallyassembled.

Though FIG. 10 illustrates the chamber 40 in the double-layer structure,the chamber can be configured to have a triple-layer structure or aquadruple-layer structure as illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 9A.

FIG. 11 illustrates that only an upper cap 52 of a chamber 50 is formedin a double-layer structure, FIG. 12 illustrates that only a lower cap63 of a chamber 60 is formed in a double-layer structure, and FIG. 13illustrates that an upper cap 72 and a lower cap 73 of a chamber 70 areformed in a double-layer structure.

As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, in the case that the upper cap or the lowercap has the double-layer structure, they can be tightly attached throughsuch methods of press-fit, shrinkage, inner diameter enlargement as inthe first embodiment. The upper cap or the lower cap can be formed in atriple-layer structure or in a quadruple-layer structure as necessary.

Preferably, a typical heat-releasing structure is secured at the outsideof the upper cap and the lower cap so as to outwardly releasing heatsmoothly the thermal energy resulting from the friction generated duringthe operation of the compressor.

Though not shown in the drawings, the body and the upper cap, or thebody and the lower cap of the chamber may have a multi-structure.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a compressor with a chamber inaccordance with the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

In order to diffuse outwardly the thermal energy of the chambergenerated between an inner body 81 a and an outer body 81 b, heatreleasing unit is installed at an outer side of the outer body 81 b.

As the heat releasing unit, a plurality of fin plates 84 are formed tobe protruded outwardly from the outer body 81 b to diffuse heat.Otherwise, the heat releasing unit can be a metal plate (not shown) madeof material having high thermal conductivity, which is tightly attachedto the outer body 81 b and transmits heat outwardly.

As so far described, the chamber for a compressor in accordance with thepresent invention has the following advantages.

That is, with at least one portion formed in a multi-layer structure,the vibration energy is transformed to thermal energy according tofriction and transmitted externally through the chamber during theoperation of the compressor. Thus, noise and vibration generated duringthe operation of the compressor can be considerably reduced.

In addition, when the compressor with the chamber in accordance with thepresent invention is adopted to a refrigerator or an air-conditionerusing a refrigeration cycle formed by a compressor, an condenser, anexpansion valve and an evaporator, the noise generation of thecompressor, the main noise source when the refrigerator or theair-conditioner operates, is minimized. Thus, a reliability of theproduct can be improved and an agreeable environment can be provided.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the chamber for a compressorof the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covermodifications and variations of this invention provided they come withinthe scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A compressor comprising: a chamber consisting of a cylindrical body,an upper cap coupled at an upper portion of the body and a lower capcoupled at a lower portion of the body; an electric mechanism unitpositioned inside the chamber and generating rotational force; and acompression mechanism unit for compressing and discharging fluid by therotational force generated from the electric mechanism unit in thechamber, wherein the body of the chamber includes an inner body and anouter body which are tightly attached to reduce noise and vibrationgenerated in the chamber through mutual friction between the inner bodyand the outer body.
 2. The compressor of claim 1, wherein a middle bodyis interposed between the inner body and the outer body.
 3. Thecompressor of claim 2, wherein the bodies are assembled in a manner ofbeing press-fit to other body.
 4. The compressor of claim 1, wherein theinner body and the outer body are assembled by being mutually press-fit.5. The compressor of claim 1, wherein the inner body and the outer bodyare assembled by being shrunken to each other.
 6. The compressor ofclaim 1, wherein the inner body and the outer body are mutually weldedat at least one portion thereof.
 7. A compressor comprising: a chamberconsisting of a cylindrical body, an upper cap coupled at an upperportion of the body and a lower cap coupled at a lower portion of thebody; an electric mechanism unit positioned inside the chamber andgenerating rotational force; and a compression mechanism unit forcompressing and discharging fluid by the rotational force generated fromthe electric mechanism unit in the chamber, wherein the body of thechamber includes an inner body and an outer body which are tightlyattached to reduce noise and vibration generated in the chamber throughtheir mutual friction, and the inner body is fixed to the upper cap andto the lower cap through welding.
 8. The compressor of claim 7, whereinthe inner body and the outer body are attached at one portion thereofthrough welding.
 9. The compressor of claim 7, wherein the inner bodyand the outer body are assembled by being press-fit.
 10. The compressorof claim 7, wherein the inner body and the outer body are assembled bybeing shrunken to each other.
 11. A chamber for a compressor, comprisinga multi-layer structure at at least one portion, wherein plates of themulti-layer structure are tightly attached to each other in order toreduce noise and vibration by mutual friction.
 12. The chamber of claim11, comprising a cylindrical body, an upper cap coupled to an upperportion of the body and a lower cap coupled to a lower portion of thebody, wherein the body has a multi-layer structure.
 13. The chamber ofclaim 12, wherein the body has a double-layer structure.
 14. The chamberof claim 11, comprising a cylindrical body, an upper cap coupled to anupper portion of the body and a lower cap coupled to a lower portion ofthe body, wherein one of the upper cap and the lower cap has amulti-layer structure.
 15. The chamber of claim 11, having adouble-layer structure or a triple-layer structure at at least oneportion thereof.
 16. The chamber of claim 11, wherein the portions inthe multi-layer structure are assembled by being press-fit.
 17. Thechamber of claim 11, wherein the portions in the multi-layer structureare assembled by being shrunken to each other.
 18. The chamber of claim11, wherein the portions in the multi-layer structure are assembled bybeing attached to each other.
 19. The chamber of claim 11, wherein onelayer and its adjacent layer are made of different materials.
 20. Thechamber of claim 19, wherein one layer and its adjacent layer are madeof materials with different thermal expansion coefficient.
 21. Thechamber of claim 20, wherein the layer positioned at outer side of acompressor is made of material having higher thermal expansioncoefficient than that of the layer positioned at an inner side of thecompressor.
 22. The chamber of claim 11, wherein one layer and anotherlayer attached thereto have different moduli of strain.
 23. The chamberof claim 22, wherein the layer positioned at an outer side of thecompressor is made of material having higher modulus of strain that thatof the layer positioned at an inner side of the compressor.
 24. Thechamber of claim 11, wherein each layer constituting the multi-layerstructure has different thickness.
 25. The chamber of claim 24, whereinthe layer positioned at the inner side of the chamber is thicker thanthe layer positioned at the outer side of the chamber.
 26. The chamberof claim 11, wherein the mutually contacting surfaces of the portions inthe multi-layer structure formed to be rugged.
 27. The chamber of claim11, wherein a heat releasing unit is provided at the outer layer in themulti-layer structure of the chamber.
 28. The chamber of claim 27,wherein the heat releasing unit includes a plurality of fin plates. 29.The chamber of claim 27, wherein the heat releasing unit is a metalplate being in contact with the outer layer constituting the chamber.30. A chamber for a compressor comprising: a cylindrical inner body anda cylindrical outer body which are tightly attached to reduce noise andvibration generated inside through mutual friction; an upper cap coupledto an upper portion of the inner body; and a lower cap coupled to alower portion of the inner body.
 31. The chamber of claim 30, furthercomprising a support coupled to the outer body and supporting thechamber.
 32. The chamber 31, wherein the support is fixed at the outerbody through welding.
 33. The chamber of claim 30, wherein the upper capand the lower cap are fixed at the inner body through welding.
 34. Thechamber of claim 30, wherein the outer body is formed shorter than theoverall length of the inner body.